UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA – Columbia, SC
5 Stars – Based on 8 User Reviews
Full Day Camp
One of the most popular tennis camps in the country, the University of South Carolina offers three exciting weeks of camp this coming summer. Featuring world-class coaching led by the USC Head Men & Head Women’s coaches Josh Goffi & Kevin Epley, this tennis camp truly offers young players an opportunity to get more involved with playing tennis.
Each camper receives personal attention, advanced teaching techniques, intensive drill work, and game/match play, all in a fun and competitive environment. We break the campers into small instructional groups of similar age and ability, so each child is working in a group that is commensurate with their experience level. We tailor each program to the level of the players. Beginners get a heavy dose of swing technique and fundamentals, while more advanced players focus on strategy, point building, percentage tennis, etc.
The Wilson Collegiate Tennis Camps are the premier camps for young players who strive to learn the game, improve their skills and participate in middle school, high school, USTA team tennis, or tournaments.
Elite Training Camp: June 8, 2024
Enhance your tennis skills and elevate your game at our Elite Training Camp! Join us for an intensive and dynamic tennis experience designed to push your limits and unlock your full potential. Modeled after our collegiate team practices, the Elite Training camp is a 1 day camp that focuses on point progression, match play strategy and competitive play. Led by expert coaches and professionals, this camp offers top-notch training, personalized instruction, and competitive match play. Don’t miss this opportunity to take your tennis skills to the next level!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CAMP INCLUDE:
- Comprehensive instructional program with daily teaching progressions
- Small instructional groups to ensure individual attention
- Safety prioritized on and off court
- Camp demo program with all the latest Wilson rackets
- Great Wilson Raffle and prizes for all campers
CAMP DETAILS
CAMP DATES:
- Session I: June 3-7, 2024
- Session II: June 10-14, 2024
- Elite Training Camp: June 8, 2024
FEES:
Traditional Camp:
- Full Day – $565 per week
Elite Training Camp:
- Full Day – $250
TIMES:
- Full Day – 9am – 4pm daily
- Elite Training Camp – June 8, 2024 – 9am – 5pm
AGES:
- Full Day option: Boys and Girls ages 7-18.
- Elite Training Camp – Grades 7-12.
* Camps are open to any and all entrants.
MORE INFORMATION
Inclement Weather:
- N/A
Ratio:
- This camp features a 5:1 ratio
Grouping:
- Kids are grouped by skill, age and experience. Often these groups change throught the course of the camp.
FAQ's
Q: Are there Skill Requirements for this camp?
Per NCAA rules, our sports camps are open to all entrants. Enrollment is limited only by age, grade level, gender, and capacity restrictions as specified by each camp.
Q: What type of campers attend this camp?
Our camps are open to all levels of tennis players. We have players from absolute beginner to high school / Tournament level.
We design our camps to teach the technical basics and love of the game to the beginning player, to introduce strategical decision making, and more advanced technique to the intermediate player, while building on their current stroke production, and to put the advanced players into pressured, strategical and competitive situations.
Q. What is the ratio of campers to staff?
Groups will be divided into small instructional groups of approximately 5-6: 1 camper to coach. Some camps/sessions offer higher or lower ratios based on the curriculum.
Q. If the camp is full, do you have a waiting list?
To be added to the waitlist, please register here (there is no fee to join the waitlist).
Q. Should I purchase camp/cancellation insurance?
We recommend all families purchase camp/cancellation insurance if they are concerned about the investment they are making in the camp. Kids do get injured, sick and family plans change from the time of registration leading up to the camp. Camp insurance allows peace of mind and has many benefits in any of these events. Please review our policies page for more information about camp/cancellation insurance. Click Here
Swimming:
- This camp does not offer swimming as an option.
Safety:
- Camp safety is our number one priority. All efforts are made to ensure that the kids are safe throughout the camp. Safety will be prioritized over tennis and activities when necessary. The camp, Wilson Sporting Goods, Premier Sports camps and its coaches and universities are not responsible for personal items brought to camp.
Pertinent Camp Information for Check-in
Times:
- Full Day – 9am – 4pm daily
- Elite Training Camp – June 10: 2023 – 9am – 5pm
Camp Check-In:
- Check-in / Drop off Time: 8:15-9am on Monday; 8:45-9:00 remainder of the week for all campers
- Check-in / Drop off Location: Carolina Tennis Center
- Check-in / Drop off Address: 1316 Heyward Street Columbia, SC 29208
Camp Check-Out:
-
Check-out / Pick up Time: 4:00pm Monday – Thursday; 12:00pm on Friday
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Check-out / Pick up Location: Carolina Tennis Center
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Check-out / Pick up Address : 1316 Heyward Street Columbia, SC 29208
Camp Dorm:
- Not Applicable – This is a day camp only and does not offer residentail options as part of the camp
Roommate Requests:
- Not Applicable – This is a day camp only and does not offer residentail options as part of the camp
Meals:
- Lunch provided for full day campers.
Packing List:
- Day Campers:
- Tennis Racket
- Tennis Shoes
- Sun Screen
- Hat / Visor
- Water bottle
- Signed Medical Form (dowload here – https://www.wilsontenniscamps.com/camp-forms/)
- Signed Liabililty Form if you did not complete online during registraion (dowload here –https://www.wilsontenniscamps.com/camp-forms/)
FORMS & ACCOUNTS
Liability Forms:
- Your Liability Waiver was signed during the registration process and is complete as long as you registered online. If you did not sign up with an account online – this form can be downloaded at https://www.wilsontenniscamps.com/camp-forms/
Medical Forms:
- Each camper must have a completed and signed medical form brought to check-in on the first day of camp. – Download Form here
A physical exam is not required for campers. If the camper needs medical or disability accommodations, including significant food allergies that require special meals, please email the office. This form can be downloaded at https://www.wilsontenniscamps.com/camp-forms/
MEET YOUR COACHES
Camp Director:
KEVIN EPLEY
HEAD WOMEN’S TENNIS COACH
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Kevin Epley, the 2019 ITA National Head Coach and SEC Coach of the Year, has been the Women’s Tennis Coach at the University of South Carolina since 2012. In 19 overall seasons as a head coach, Epley owns a 327-159 (.673) record, 11 top-25 finishes and seven conference championships. His teams have reached the NCAA Tournament in every season, and 14 times they won at least one round. Epley’s squads have reached the NCAA round of 16 four times including three consecutive appearances in the round of 16 from 2017 to 2019, as well as a quarterfinal appearance in 2019. Additionally, Epley guided the Gamecocks to their first SEC Championship in school history in 2019. In 11 seasons with the Gamecocks, Epley has upheld a winning tradition while moving the program toward even greater heights with an influx of diverse players who are just as committed to helping South Carolina achieve at the highest level.
Epley’s distinct background of coaching at the collegiate level combined with his experience among the professional ranks has given him a unique blend of tennis knowledge. Before joining the Gamecocks, Epley spent the prior four years as a full-time traveling coach for WTA player Megan Moulton-Levy and her doubles partner, Lindsay Lee-Waters. He has also served as a personal traveling coach for Lindsay Davenport and Patty Schnyder, and was the head coach of the St. Louis Aces in the World Team Tennis league. Epley was also an assistant for the U.S. Olympic team for the 2000 Sydney games and was an assistant for the U.S. Federation Cup team from 1997 to 2002. In both instances, he worked with tennis legend and close friend and mentor Billie Jean King. Epley has also been an instructor at the renowned Nick Bolliettieri Tennis Academy in Florida. Epley also previously served as the head coach of the women’s program at William & Mary from 2003 to 2008 and the head coach of the women’s program at Fresno State from 2000 to 2003.
Epley is a 1996 graduate of Southern Methodist University where he was an All-Southwestern Conference performer as a senior. He began his collegiate coaching career with a pair of one-year stays as an assistant coach at Alabama (1998-99) and Arizona (1999-2000) before taking his first head coaching position at Fresno State.
Camp Director:
JOSH GOFFI
HEAD MEN’S TENNIS COACH
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Goffi has been the Head Men’s Tennis Coach at the University of South Carolina since 2010. Goffi’s culture has bred success with the Gamecocks earning an NCAA Tournament bid nine times in his tenure. Averaging 20 wins over the last six regular seasons (2020 cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic), South Carolina has finished each of those in the ITA Top-25, marking the first such stretch in program history. Under Goffi, the Gamecocks have collected nine All-American honors, 20 All-SEC selections and the program’s first SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Goffi also coached Paul Jubb to become the 2019 NCAA National Champion.
The 2023 season was arguably one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Gamecocks ended with a final record of 22-7 and a final ranking of No. 8, the highest final ranking since the 1989 season. Their trip to the quarterfinals was the first since the 1989 season. Following the conclusion of dual play, Goffi had two players earn automatic qualifications into the NCAA Singles Tournament as No. 9-16 seeds as well as the No. 1 overall seed in the Doubles Tournament. Both players earned singles and doubles All-American honors for their performances throughout the season. Also during the 2022-23 season came the program’s first ITA All-American Championship title in doubles (Connor Thomson & Toby Samuel). The same duo that won the national title in the fall held the program’s first No. 1 ITA Doubles Ranking for all but one week of the regular season and became the program’s first to hold a year-end No. 1 ranking. The efforts led Goffi to his third consecutive Wilson/ITA Carolina Region Coach of the Year honors.
Goffi’s coaching philosophies have been shaped by some of the best coaches in the world, including his father, 1991 World Coach of the Year Carlos Goffi. The younger Goffi grew up around tennis’ elite watching his father coach the likes of John and Patrick McEnroe, Peter Fleming and Mary Carillo, and the breadth of his exposure to elite level players and coaches helped formulate the basic tenets of his program.
Goffi’s coaching career began after spending four years on the ATP Tour from 2001-05 where he rose as high as No. 121 in doubles with 18 doubles titles. He rose to as high as No. 488 in the ATP singles rankings with six top-100 wins that included a straight-set victory over Stanislas Wawrinka. Goffi honed his coaching skills as an assistant at Arizona State (women’s, 2006-08) and Duke (2008-10), earning regional Assistant Coach of the Year honors at both (2008 West, 2010 Carolina).
As a college player, Goffi was a three-time All-ACC selection at Clemson University winning both singles and doubles conference championships in 1999. He helped the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances and rose to as high as No. 9 in the national singles rankings and No. 3 in doubles. Off the court, Goffi was a two-time Academic All-ACC selection and earned the Tigers’ “Mr. Clutch Award” in 2001 for displaying the courage, heart and determination necessary to pull through at crucial times. He finished his college career with an 84-64 singles record and an 85-50 mark in doubles matches. Goffi earned his bachelor of science in financial management in 2001.
CAMP REVIEWS
FACILITY
CAROLINA TENNIS CENTER
The Gamecock men’s and women’s tennis teams opened Carolina Tennis Center for the 2012 season. The new Carolina Tennis Center is located in the heart of the Athletics Village at the Roost. Previously, the women played at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center, while the men were located at Sam Daniel Tennis Center.
The Gamecocks’ new tennis stadium features 12 courts with lights and scoreboards on each one. Each side of six courts also has a master scoreboard so fans always know what is happening on each court. Video cameras are mounted behind each court as well to record matches so the coaching staff can review film with the student-athletes. Seating is available for 670 fans with room to spare for standing room. The stadium has 400 square feet of court-side storage and 900 square feet of dedicated restroom facilities.
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
Coming Soon.